black powder storeage

[milltownhunter]

what the best and safest way to store 25lb to 50 lb of blackpowder?

[JIMinPHX]

That’s quite a bit of black powder. I think that quantities like that fall under some pretty specific regulations. You might want to check with your local fire department. You might not like what they have to tell you. There may be federal regs. On proper containment facilities for that large of a quantity too. That is enough powder to do a lot of serious damage.

[alleyyooper]

Rules on storage of that much and more black powder is the reason it is no longer sold in the local gun shops. Only some of the very small out in the country places sell it around here now.

:mrgreen: Al

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Do not be frightened or BS'ed about your personal use powder of less than 50 pounds of black powder. It's sold in pound tin screw top cans or plastic ST cans from a dealer or a distributor: google search GOEX, Swiss Black Powder, Schutzen Black powder to find the nearest distributor. 25 pounds of 25 cans to the case or a case of one plastic bag of 25 pounds for GOEX . The cases are heavy duty cardboard. SAFE ENOUGH TO SHIP IN A BIG BROWN TRUCK.

Check with the distributor for pick up there or for one of their major dealers closer to you. Pick it up and put it in your car and bring it home, just like it were groceries. Or have it shipped to to your home. I keep mine in a small garage with the 4-wheeler and my Lee pots. Black and or smokeless go into cheap coolers in an insulated room in the garage where hunting clothes in plastic tubs are stored. It might go to 20*F in the winter or to 75*F in there in summer heat The coolers help moderate temperature change. Save the Goex cans so you can buy bulk the next time. I usually pick a humid day to decant bulk into cans. The first I ever bought came in a paper lunch bag with instructions from the storekeeper to put it in an empty tea tin when I got it home. BvT

[madcaster]

One method,may not be too safe,but an old camping cooler,if it goes up not so much shrapnel as in a ammo can,and it is also pretty waterproof as long as it is not overturned.

[mazo kid]

For your own personal use, you may have up to 50# on your premises without an approved magazine. I store mine in an outbuilding in a wooden box with a loose top, that is on a platform with casters under it and a rope that goes just inside the door. This way, in an emergency, I can open the door, grab the rope and pull the powder out the door. A cheap cooler on the same platform would work just as well. Emery

[Junior1942]

what the best and safest way to store 25lb to 50 lb of blackpowder?In a frost free refrigerator. Low humidity and a constant low temperature.

[DLCTEX]

I do the same as Jr., smokeless goes in there too. The magnetic seal on the door will open easily with pressure inside, and is relatively fireproof. Have been to house fires where the outside of ref. is burned, but contents are still cool/frozen. DALE

[milltownhunter]

if stored out side in a unheated shed will the powder be afected by tempeture and condensation? we get alot of tempetue chaiges in the winter fron the highs in the 50's to -30's i have a two room reloadig room that only sorce of heat is a wood stove

[Old Ironsights]

I bought 25lbs of BULK BP once. Came in a cotton bag in a plastic bag in a box.

After sifting the 3F from the 4F & fines, I bottled it all up into 1.75L booze bottles, sealed them nice and tight, and put them in my chest freezer.

No moisture. Fireproof. No sparks.

As long as I thaw the BP out BEFORE opening the sealed bottles, there will be no condensation on the BP either.

I really need to buy another 25lbs...

[Beerd]

If nobody else is going to step up, I will volunteer to let you store it at my place.:-D

Of course I may have to sample it every couple of weeks to make sure it hasn't gone bad on you [smilie=1:
..

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I make it my practice to bring the individual cans of powder I need to use in the next few days into the loading room in my home from the outside storage. I want it to come to heated or AC prameters before I use it in cartridges. For my paper cartridge BP loads, after they are prepared , they stay inside till I go out shooting, the can goes back out. Personally I wouldn't worry about a woodstove a room a way, but I don't want it very close for sure. And I sure don't know your reloading habits.

You may be able to minimize loading "by the stove" with carefull procedures so powder is only in the measure or loose in cartridges for a short time. Once loaded its a different game for metallic cartridges for sure. BvT

[KAF]

Smokeless powder has been known to spontaneously combust, Black won't do it.

Store your BP where you have the room.

Years ago I told my local fire dept where it was in the house so if the house ever goes, expect a real bright light there.